COLUMBUS, Miss. — The Gordy Honors College Forum series opens Thursday, Jan. 24 at 6 p.m. at Nissan Auditorium in Parkinson Hall on the campus of Mississippi University for Women. The Forum Series continues through April presenting lectures, film and undergraduate research.

Dr. Thomas G. Velek, director of the Gordy Honors College, is pleased that the Forum Series continues to be one of the premier lecture series in the state. The series strives to offer dynamic and stimulating presentations for the MUW campus and the Columbus community as a whole.

The series opens on the 24th with a discussion of the importance of internships and an exploration of potential opportunities. Dr. Brian Anderson will discuss internships in general as well as specific offerings. Honors student Karen Lott will discuss her experience interning in the summer of 2012 at the prestigious Washington Center in Washington, D.C. Honors student Whitney Russell will present information about her summer 2012 internship at the Holocaust Museum in Washington.

On Feb. 7, the series begins a two part examination of the Civil Rights movement. The American Experience film “Freedom Riders” will be screened that evening. The screening will be followed by discussion of the film.

Fred Gray

On Feb. 21, the series welcomes special guest Fred Gray, one of the most important civil rights attorneys in America. He was Martin Luther King’s attorney, represented Rosa Parks and represented victims of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study in their class action lawsuit. Other notable cases include Browder v. Gayle, which integrated the buses in Montgomery, Ala., and Williams v. Wallace, which resulted in the court ordered protection of marchers as they walked from Selma to Montgomery. He is the author of “Bus Ride to Justice” and “The Tuskegee Syphilis Study; The Real Story and Beyond.”

Gray’s presentation is titled “The Life and Work of Fred Gray; Bus Ride to Justice.” The presentation will be held in Poindexter Hall.

The Forum Series continues in March with Dr. Suzanne Bean’s presentation “Rethinking Success in the 20th Century” on March 7. Bean is a professor at MUW. John Regl of Columbus will present “Made in the USA…So What?” on March 21. Regl is general manager at Superior Solid Surfacing.

Bill Roseman

On April 18, the series presents the inaugural Nell Wolfe Peel Lecture Series when it welcomes Bill Roseman to Columbus. Roseman had been an editor with Marvel Comics for over 20 years. He has edited titles starring Marvel’s most famous characters — including Captain America, Iron Man, Thor and the Avengers — as well as cult favorites such as Black Widow, Hawkeye, Nova and Guardians of the Galaxy. He now oversees Marvel Custom Solutions publications as well as monthly comics including Avengers Academy and New Mutants. His presentation titled “Super Heroes On and Off the Page” will be held in Cochran Hall.

The Forum Series concludes April 25 and May 2 with the Honors College’s Spring Research Symposia. The events showcase the undergraduate research of MUW seniors who are working on honors research projects. A poster session will be presented by students midway through projects and final research presentations will be made. “It is exciting that we have so many students doing undergraduate research and that the quality of the work done at MUW is so high” noted Dr. Velek.

All presentations are at 6 p.m. in Nissan Auditorium unless noted otherwise and are free and open to the public. Speakers are available after to meet and greet members of the audience. For further information or to reserve group seating, contact Velek at tvelek@as.muw.edu, (662) 241-6850 or visit http://web2.muw.edu/index.php/en/main-honors/.